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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25606477">The Wolf of the Fourth Circle Welcomes You. ( To the family )</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/ColdCoffins/pseuds/ColdCoffins'>ColdCoffins</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Fullmetal Alchemist (Anime 2003), Fullmetal Alchemist - All Media Types</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>AU, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Fluff and feel good moments, Found Family, Gen, Greed learning new things after being sealed a century and a half, I took what I liked in the 2003 anime and mixed it in, Liberties taken on lack of canon context, Medical Experimentation, PTSD symptoms, Possible polyamory down the line, devils nest crew slowly realizing they’ve got a huge crush on their boss, human test subjects, p much everyone is Nina’s new parents, will update tags and cw as is fitting</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-07-30</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-08-26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-05 07:08:11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Graphic Depictions Of Violence, No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>6</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>17,959</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25606477</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/ColdCoffins/pseuds/ColdCoffins</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>UPDATE: This is a fic about Greed adopting Nina along with all the chimeras at Laboratory Five. Its as much a character study as I don’t have true direction for the story yet. Also bumped the rating up to M just in case of ...y’know.....  <br/>I have combined bits from the 2003 anime with Brotherhood. I hope you enjoy as long as I can write.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>40</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. First Encounter with Sin</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Nina is jostled a final time before her cage is lowered to the floor. From the sound the metal box makes when it meets the floor to the shuffle of shoes around her, its cold and smooth cement. Everything in laboratory five was cold and hard.<br/><br/>With her poor eyesight, Nina could make out the legs of shadowy figures that passed her cage as they left the room. The heavy door swung shut. A small beep of a lock releasing on her cage sounded and the door slid open. Nina didn’t move to exit her cage. The room she was now in offered more space. From a small window on the door, fluorescent light cut a square on the floor. </p>
<p>At the moment, the cage was more safe and familiar. So Nina stayed in the cage.</p>
<p>Everything in laboratory five was cold and hard. The metal tables she was held or restrained to while shadows loomed above her with big, bright eyes, were cold and hard. The instruments that poked and prodded were cold and hard.</p>
<p>The only soft and warm things Nina found here, were the arms and hands of the fellow Chimeras trapped here with her. With a change of space, those hands and arms were gone. Their voices and familiar smells were also gone. Nina was left alone now, without any comfort to cling to. </p>
<p>Knowing she was alone, Nina did what an abused, scared, and lonely child or dog would do. </p>
<p>Nina cried. </p>
<p><br/>********<br/><br/></p>
<p>Greed opened an eye lazily at a sound he had not heard for nearly one hundred and thirty years. A steady red glow emanated off the alchemic runes that arched across the every surface of his chamber, as if it was covered in soft neon signs. The homunculus was still bound, arms and legs constricted by thick leather belts. A human skull, once belonging to his past human self, implanted in the array’s center on the ceiling also kept him from moving freely. </p>
<p>Greed wasn’t going anywhere, but his ears still worked just fine. During his over century long stay, Greed seldom heard signs of life outside the thick walls he was contained in. A rodent scurrying among the foundations. The faint clomp of boots in the halls. A ringing scream of agony from the deep places rooted in humans. </p>
<p>This sound wasn’t any of those.</p>
<p>It was whiny. As in, it was a literal soft, hiccuping whine. A low moaning sometimes. Despite the mixed in animalistic sounds, Greed recognized the sound of someone crying.</p>
<p>Someone was crying in the room next to him.</p>
<p>Why can I hear this? The homunculus wondered. </p>
<p>Greed then wondered soon after, when was the last time he attempted movement? He recalled the good amount of screaming and fighting to move an inch that he had done for the first ten years of his imprisonment. For the remaining one hundred and twenty, there seemed like nothing better to do then enter a state of suspension. </p>
<p>With a grunt, Greed summoned those one hundred and twenty years of stored energy to turn himself over onto his otherside. Dull pain pulled like strained rope at his body that made him wince. As long as his skull was amplified in the array, even if Greed could lift his pinky, it would hurt. </p>
<p>Who could have guessed that the weakness of being a walking inhuman paradox, was to be reminded that he was a walking inhuman paradox.</p>
<p>Greed chalked up his turning to face the wall like a bag of bricks as a victory. </p>
<p>Now that he was facing the wall, he could see the wall. The Homunculus eyes searched the stone surface for an opening that had allowed noise from the next room to come through. </p>
<p>He found a pipe. A small open pipe at the walls base. It was wide enough for a mouse to squeeze through. </p>
<p><br/>*********<br/><br/></p>
<p>“Hey.”</p>
<p>Nina tensed, startled as a deep voice croaked to her. She quieted and perked her ears. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Hey...who’s crying?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Nina peeked her head out of the exit of her cage. Her ears trained in on where the voice came from. Carefully, Nina lifted a big, strange paw, and slowly crept out of her metal box. Her claws made dull clicks on the hard floor as she crossed over to the wall where the voice was projecting. Bounced around in metal. Nina nudged along the walls base with her muzzle until her nose bumped something hard and metal. The collision was surprising, and she yelped. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>“It’s...uncomfortable to talk. So, answer if you’re in there.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>She hesitated. </p>
<p>Dolcetto, Roa and Martel were nice.</p>
<p>Would this person also be nice?</p>
<p>Despite the many smells the pipe produced, her nose singled out an earthy, copper-like scent. It wasn’t anything she recognized.</p>
<p>Daddy had said not to talk to strangers.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“S-s t r a n...g e r.” Her warped voice produced the word, “...D a d d y...s a i d...n o...s-s t r a n g e r…”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I see…” The deep voice said, “I’m Greed. It’s...nice to meet you. Your name is…?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“M y  n-n a m e  I s ... N i n a.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Oooh, that’s… a good name!” The deep voice mused with a slight crack of effort at the end, “We know each other now. ...We’re good now...right?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Nina hesitated again. Part of her was unsure if they were “good.” She remembered when the doctors said the needles wouldn’t hurt. But they did. She remembered when Daddy said mommy would come home...</p>
<p>The other part of her very much wanted them to be “good.” That would be very nice.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Friends?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Ninas tail made of her human hair thumped a feebly a few times behind her.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“F r i e n d s s…”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“That’s great…!” Nina heard a smothered laugh that quickly choked out into coughs,”Let’s be friends, Nina…!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“F r i e n d…! M r  G r e e d...i s  f r i e n d…”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Now then...how old are you, Nina?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“S...s e v e n  y e a r s  o l d…”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I’m a bit older than that...don’t worry, kid. Seven wasn’t...my best year either.” Nina heard Mr. Greed sigh before he spoke again, “Sorry, I can’t meet you face to face. Until then...how would you like it if I kept you company…? I’m not...going anywhere. What do you say, kid?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Y e s…!” Nina’s tail picked up its rhythm, “Y e s … M r  G r e e d…!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Good…!” The small chuckle from Mr. Greed sounded more like unpleasant smoke got in his throat, “Tell me about yourself, kid. I’m all ears…”</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Break Out</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Due to a strange and unexpected explosion one night at Laboratory 5, Greed takes an opportunity to escape his 130 year prison. Along with Nina of course.</p><p>EDIT- I changed somethings around a bit towards the end of this chapter. It was bothering me and I like this version much better.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>While Greed became a source of comfort for Nina, Nina became a source of conversation for Greed. It was much needed conversation for the homunculus. Nina wouldn’t understand all of his words, and sometimes, Greed had to guess her meaning due to Nina’s crude way of speech, but it was always a welcomed talk.</p><p>Greed had learned a bit about his new neighbor as time passed. </p><p>Nina was homeschooled. </p><p>She lived only with her Father - Greed wondered where he was in all this. - and her Mother had left the family.</p><p>Nina liked coloring and ice cream with sprinkles.</p><p>Nina did not like bugs and peas.</p><p>She mentioned the “nice people” she had met while in Laboratory five. Their names were Dolcetto, Roa and Martel. </p><p>He asked if she could remember what the outside was like. Being locked away for one hundred and thirty years, Greed wanted an update to the current state of the world. </p><p>Greed quickly learned he needed to be specific in his questioning as Nina listed many geographical wonders such as; Trees. Flowers. And her neighbor's cat “Jack” who liked her garbage.</p><p>Despite the painful effort to talk, Greed made sure to carry conversation for Nina. Equivalent exchange and all that, right? The homunculus told her about his other current siblings. Pride, the brat. Sloth, the lumbering idiot. Gluttony, the hungry idiot. ( Not all of his siblings were lucky enough to get brains like his.) Envy, the monster. ( Again, not all his siblings were lucky enough to get good looks like him.) Lust the bitc—babe. Finally, Greed admitted he had a dad too. Greed tried his best to tell Nina his feelings about his old man without any strong profanity. </p><p>Bastard wasn’t strong profanity. Out of the thirteen curses, bastard wasn’t so bad. Besides, kids should know some sentence enhancers. </p><p>Nina asked Greed very few questions. He found she was much more interested in the stories he could tell. When the time would always come for handlers to take Nina away for testing, Greed could only silently grind his teeth at the pathetic sounds the girl made. His jaw pressure in the moments could crush diamonds between his predatory teeth. Yelling or making useless threats would only be a waste of effort. Instead, Greed saved that energy for when Nina was finally returned to her room. Her body was laid unceremoniously on the floor before the door closed shut, and the room went dark.</p><p>Greed would then tell her stories until he heard her breathing fall into a sleeping rhythm.</p><p>It was between his fourth or third conversation with Nina that Greed made the decision to keep the young chimera. Greed,being avarice, was made to want. He wanted Nina. More importantly, Greed wanted better for Nina. If Nina belonged to Greed, he could get that for her. Greed got his hands on what he wanted sooner or later.</p><p> </p><p>************</p><p> </p><p>Nina awoke to the world shaking. The world was quaking beneath her paws. She could hear it crumble and crack around her. Small bits of the ceiling above her sprinkled onto her hair. It took a loud crack and a slab of cement falling to the floor in front of her to fully jump start Nina’s instinct of fear. Both humans and dogs come with the base instructions of fight or flight. As Nina pressed her body tightly into a corner of her room in terror, neither the human or dog in her had a constructive answer other than to cower in blind fear. </p><p>Fragmented cement clacked against smooth floor as it danced and jumped until the tremors died down to a rumble. Then from a rumble down to a vibration, before fading all together. The world was still again. </p><p>In the quiet that had followed, Nina heard a sound. Unlike how the explosion dwindled, this sound was building. A chuckle, low and bubbling up from somewhere deep. It swelled into a laugh that echoed off the walls.</p><p> It sounded manic. It sounded free. </p><p>Nina flinched, broken from her trance by a series of quick sharp knocks on the far wall of her room. </p><p>“Hey, Nina.”</p><p>Ears perked, Nina trained in on a familiar voice. </p><p>“Stay away from the wall, ok? I’m coming in.”</p><p>Coming in? </p><p>“Here I go!”</p><p>Mr.Greed—</p><p>Another explosion, much smaller than the initial quake, and the far wall of Nina’s room burst open. Dust clouded the small space. It settled slowly along with the rocky crumbles of debris. Nina curled into herself. The dust further clouded her vision and irritated her nose. Nina only inched her head up when she heard the steady clak of boots approach her. </p><p>A small squeak of leather and a figure kneeled in front of her. </p><p>Nina recognized the face of a man through the fog of her eyes. He had handsomely sharp features, and dark hair that was spiked up. His strange, cat-like eyes traveled around Nina’s body. A crook in one of his short eyebrows said something of disdain. Whatever kind of look it was, it flipped effortlessly into a smile. </p><p>“Hey, Nina.” He spoke from between shark-like teeth. Without the added strain of pain, his voice was smooth and deep. It made Nina think of the dark velvet curtains were made of. “This is a much better way to meet you, huh? Face to face.”</p><p>“M r  G r e e d …?” Nina’s tail thumped weakly behind her.</p><p>“That’s right, kid. What do you say we get out of here? Does that sound good?”</p><p>“Y e s  M r  Greed… y-y e s…!”</p><p>When he first reached out to her with his arms, she tensed. Her tongue lapped between her teeth. Mr. Greed simply waited until the young girl relaxed before he scooped her up against his chest. Nina melted against his hold like soft serve. Her head rested on his shoulder. He gave her an affectionate pat.</p><p> Mr. Greed had a strange circle on the back of his right hand. Nina had never seen a circle mark like this one.</p><p>It was this part that was particularly special to Nina. During her time spent with the homunculus, she enjoyed his scent. It was an earthy, copper-like scent. But Mr.Greed would later smell of other things too. Yucky things, like cigarette smoke and alcohol. Right now, he didn’t smell like those things. </p><p>Nina remembered a story Mr. Greed had told her before. It was about how some people believed you could grow a person from a plant called a Mandragora. It wasn’t alchemy like what Daddy studied. It had to be magic. A person couldn't grow from a plant in the ground. How silly. </p><p>Nina buried her muzzle in Mr. Greed's shoulder, in the fur on the collar of his vest. She imagined he smelled like that. The earthy, copper smell of a new body being born from the ground.</p><p><br/>
Nina heard Mr. Greed grunt before he lashed out at the door to her room with a well placed kick. There was a loud bang of metal crunching before the door flew off its hinges and impacted the opposing wall. Nina felt Mr. Greed adjust her weight against his chest before he stepped out of the room. </p><p>A heavy, sharp click made Nina’s ears twitch. Mr. Greed must have heard it too, because he stopped walking.</p><p>“W-who are you? What...are you a test subject?” A new man’s voice demanded. He was in uniform, wearing a pair of small rounded shades. There was a small tremor in his tone that rattled like the metal object he was holding. </p><p>It was a gun.</p><p>And he was pointing it at Mr. Greed.</p><p>“Yeah. We’ve over stayed.” Mr. Greed answered simply. “So we’ll be leaving now.”</p><p>The man tightened his grip on the gun, reaffirming his aim at Mr. Greed with a thrust of his arms. </p><p>“You’re not leaving!” He yelled. His voice was familiar to the young chimera. Especially, when he was shouting and angry. Before Nina could solve the mystery of this shouting man, she felt Mr. Greed move her away from his chest. Nina lamented the sudden lack of contact when she was set down gently to the side as Mr. Greed confronted the man.</p><p>“Say, you sound familiar.” Mr. Greed told the man, resting his hand on his hip. </p><p>Mr. Greed knew it, too. Nina recognized this man. She remembered his unkind voice as he would hold her down and make her whimper before she was taken away. </p><p>“Are you the one who roughed up my girl?” Mr. Greed continued.</p><p>“Huh?” </p><p>“Maybe...I should rough you up too.” Mr. Greed sneered with his teeth before he moved toward the man.</p><p>A loud, quick bang shot down the halls. Nina felt the noise, she felt as it pushed through her. She recoiled reflexively with a sharp whimper. It was as if a horrible bug was making a high pitched ringing buzz in her ears. The bug had made itself home there, and it was all she could hear. </p><p>The smell of blood and smouldering powder made her look up. Mr. Greed’s top half had sagged forward, like a tall bag of sand. Dark red dripped steadily on the floor below where Mr.Greed hung his head. </p><p>Mr. Greed...had been shot? </p><p>Nina stared with wide blank eyes. Her muzzle hung ajar. </p><p>The young girl didn’t notice the uniformed mans mouth twitch. He said something, but Nina couldn’t hear his words. That pesky bug was still ringing.</p><p>She was more focused on Mr. Greed, anyways. Mr. Greed had been shot. </p><p>A small voice in her head said to flee. It was a whisper, an impulse, very similar to the little voice that said to touch a flame even though it was very hot. </p><p>Her legs shook. </p><p>Mr. Greed's hand then struck out like a hidden snake, his palm encasing the barrel of the gun. Another loud shot burst forth- poor Nina’s ears- but it was muffled. Smoke curled up from the gun’s end, covered by Mr. Greed’s hand. Mr. Greed’s hand was now black as hard obsidian. The material over his flesh didn’t shine in the light.</p><p>Nina wasn’t sure if Mr. Greed was talking to her or the man with the gun, who now looked very afraid, but he said:</p><p> “Sorry about that. I’m a little rusty.”</p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>***************</p><p><br/>
<br/>
<br/>
</p><p>“What are….y-you’re a monster…!” </p><p>Greed didn’t respond. Instead, he turned the gun barrel in his hand sharply, twisting the uniformed man’s wrist. He yelped before releasing the gun, but his voice didn’t leave far from his throat. Greed’s other free hand grabbed him squarely around his face. His flesh molded around the homunculus’s grip like dough. Thrusting his arm forward, Greed slammed the man's head into the wall behind him. </p><p>It wasn’t enough force to make him loose consciousness, never mind kill him. It was just enough to crack open the back of his head a bit. Which Greed confirmed when he saw the little line of blood crawl down the wall behind the man's neck. </p><p>Greed held up the gun in his other hand. He dropped it, fanning his clawed fingers. Smushed like an aluminum can in his shielded palm was the bullet. It lost its grip, and fell to the floor with a clink. Greed grinned a full toothy smile when he saw the man's eyes go wide like dinner plates. </p><p>“Now, where did I leave off?” Greed rubbed under his chin with his free hand. He savored the gesture. “Oh, yeah. Roughing you up.”</p><p>Only, Greed did not get to pick up where he left off.  He caught a shuffle of cream colored furry motion from the corner of his eye. Nina was looking up at him with those vacant glassy eyes. </p><p>“M r.  G r e e d…” she said with a whimper, “ D-d o n t… k i l l…?”</p><p>Greed sighed internally. </p><p>The homunculus hadn’t planned on killing this fellow. He would just, “rough him up” like he said. Maybe break something for good measure. Truthfully, Greed avoided killing when possible. But Greed knew Nina was young. She was young and naive. Greed had been around long enough to experience human nature. Humans, while capable of being good, could also be quite terrible. Some humans preferred the terrible side. He didn’t know why, it wasn’t his business to know. Greed also knew killing something was sometimes the best answer to problems. A wasp or spider will choose to bite unprovoked. Simply because they felt the urge. It was their nature. </p><p>Kill the bug, and it won’t be biting anyone anymore, will it? </p><p>“P-p l e a s e …?”</p><p>Well, now he knew he couldn’t refuse. <br/>
<br/>
</p><p>“Hey.” Greed addressed the man whose head he had in his grip, “You look like you know your way around here. Where can I find animal experimentation?”</p><p>A good amount of unidentifiable, frantic mumbles poured out of the man. </p><p><br/>
“Huh? Oh, sorry.” Greed adjusted his grip so the man wasn’t speaking into his palm.</p><p>”I-it’s down this hall-that way!” He pointed over Greeds shoulder, “T-there’s signs! Can’t miss ‘em!”</p><p>“Thanks.” Greed said as he released the uniformed man from his pinned place on the wall. He stumbled back, hands raised in a symbol of surrender. He opened and closed his mouth once or twice before turning and running as fast as his legs could carry him down the hall. </p><p>When the sound of the man’s shoes hitting the floor was swallowed by the rest of the unlit corridor, Greed turned to the young chimera girl. Grunting, he kneeled down to her level. The homunculus held out his shielded hand to her where she curiously sniffed at it. </p><p>“I call it, the ultimate shield. Awesome, right?” Greed said, hoping to impress the girl. </p><p>Nina sniffed a few more times, before she nosed closer to Greed’s face. A whine squeaked out of her. </p><p>“H u r t …? D o e s  i t   H u r t …?”</p><p>Oh, right. </p><p>Greed reached up and wiped away a drop of blood resting on his cheek with his thumb, just under where he’d been shot. It must have looked like he cried a crimson tear. With a flourish, Greed showed Nina he was perfectly alright. </p><p>“Nope. Not at all.” </p><p>Nina’s tail thumped behind her in response.</p><p>“Ready to go?” Greed asked before moving to pick up the chimera again, “Let’s go find those other guys you mentioned.”</p><p>Just as Greed was about to straighten his legs to stand once Nina was snug against his chest again, he noticed a shine among the cement floor. It was the pair of round lense sunglasses that belonged to the uniformed man. They must have fallen off his head when Greed shoved his skull into the wall. Pinching the glasses between his thumb and forefinger, Greed inspected them briefly as he stood. </p><p>Slipping the sun glasses over his nose, Greed shifted Nina’s weight before beginning down the hall. </p><p>Greed knew he would have to return to this exact spot in the laboratory. He would have to come back for…”it.” As much as the homunculus wanted to be rid of the skull that sealed him in that room for a century, he couldn’t leave it for his siblings to find. He would have to come back for it. Preferably with someone who could carry it. Those “nice people” Nina mentioned could help. </p><p>The crumpled door of Nina’s old containment room earned a glance from the homunculus as he passed. Nina thankfully hadn’t noticed the puddle of red that had been steadily growing underneath since Greed sent the door flying off its hinges.</p><p>Greed had a feeling that as long as Nina was around, he would be releasing spiders caught in cups outside. </p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>First chapter was short, I hope this one is longer for you.<br/>Greed doesn’t know about Wrath yet, so he doesn’t mention him. </p><p>Also I am very stupidly proud of a hidden reference in this chapter. If you find it, congrats! If you don’t, that’s ok too.</p><p>The Mandragora plant is also known as a Mandrake. It’s roots look strangely like a small person, and stories tell you could raise that little person on blood or milk. Also pulling one up was rumored to be deadly, as it’s first cries when being uprooted will kill anything that hears it.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. How to Avoid Immediate Death</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>The devils nest chimeras tell how Greed found them, and released them.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>“If you don’t stop pacing like that, you’re going to wear a trench into the floor.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Dolcetto came to a stop at her voice. He shot her a look with his strange cloudy blue eyes, his brow furrowed. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Time didn’t exist in a place like this, where there was no way to keep track of how it passed. This wing of Laboratory Five was used to hold the experiments. It was made up of Individual cells, each big enough to hold three or four human test subjects. In their current state, those held behind the reinforced bars could no longer fairly be called human. Dressed only in pale surgical-like gowns, they weren’t treated like humans. No windows. Only artificial fluorescent light that always hung from ceiling lamps in the hall. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>There was no way to truly tell how long the young chimera girl had been gone. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Did they not understand that? It could have been days, weeks...months? Handlers in uniform came in, and took her away. And there was nothing they could do about it. Resistance was met with force, and a swift, hard kick to the head. With steel toed combat boots. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“How long do you think she’s been gone? It feels like forever ago.” Dolcetto asked with a tired sigh.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Dolcetto.” Roa spoke up from where he sat against their cell wall. His tone, much like his demeanor, was stony. “Martel is right. You’re only worrying yourself sick. I am sorry to say...but I don’t expect we’ll see her again. I would doubt she is even alive.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Roa’s last words solidified into reality like a heavy stone. That stone hit Dolcetto squarely in the chest. He clenched and unclenched his hands. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Damn it.” Dolcetto growled as his weight fell into a sitting position. His eyes rested on his own hands. “I couldn’t...protect her. She was just a damn kid! A little girl…”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Don’t kid yourself.” Martel said. She sat not far from Roa, her chin resting in her palm. “That’s how they are, those machine minds. They’ll do as they please to get an explanation. “For science.” Her eyes, green like the deep part of the forest where trees block out the sun, cast to the side. “You were in Ishval like the rest of us. You should know this already.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“We too, are living proof.” Roa added with a solemn nod.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Dolcetto didn’t respond. He sat quietly. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Try to save your strength, Dolcetto.” Roa grunted as he settled his weight, his head bowed to his chest, and closed his eyes under furred grey brows. “You don’t know when you’ll need it next.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The cell block was never actually quiet. Mutters of other test subjects floated up and down the hall and through the bars. In the case of the less favorable experiments, their beastial cries and howls echoed off the walls. Despite this, Martel would have called the cell she shared between her two companions quiet at this moment. From the deep, hollow breaths Roa took, Martel knew he was asleep. Dolcetto was not. He had laid out on the floor, arms behind his head as he contemplated the ceiling.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Making little noise, Martel left Roa’s side and crouched down next to Dolcetto. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hey.” She greeted him, her voice hushed.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He hummed an acknowledgment.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Sorry. About what I said earlier.” Martel tucked her legs to her chest, wrapping her arms around her knees. “You did the best you could for that girl. That’s all you can do in here.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Nah. You weren’t wrong. Hope’s a dangerous thing in a place like this. It’ll just bite you in the ass later.” He smiled thinly, looking over to her. “Something else we learned in Ishval, right?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Try not to let it sit with you, is all.” She said. Then she sighed, “I’d kill for a smoke right now.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You and me both-“ </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Dolcetto’s voice trailed off. His top half shot up from the floor and he looked somewhere behind him. “What was that?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>In that same moment every living thing in the cell block didn’t make a sound.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What…” Martel asked before something far off vibrated. “I felt-“</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It was similar to the distant rumbles of a detonation she had experienced on the war front, but she pin pointed its originating location. The vibration rolled out from its center point like ripples on the broken surface of a lake until-</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The whole building shook around them. Bars rattled and the ceiling lights in the hall swung about back and forth. Among the yells and surprised yelps were solid, sharp cracks from the foundations. A dusting of stone rained from the ceiling on the heads of the test subjects. The lights squeaked high pitched groans as they settled into a steady sway. Most of the bulbs inside blinked and snapped a few times before dying out completely. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Half of the light was swallowed into grey in the cell block, punctuated only by the heavy breaths of those inside. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What the fuck was that?!” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“An earthquake?!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>An uproar of voices quickly swelled in volume.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Shut up!” Dolcetto barked, gripping the bars of his cell, “Everyone shut the hell up!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You know what this is, right?” A voice called from a cell across the way. Nearly clinging to the bars with his clawed fingers and toes, thick tail wrapped tightly, Bido looked panicked. “They’re demolishing the place! They’re going to bury us under the rubble to destroy the evidence!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>With that said, a fresh wave of loud panic bloomed among the test subjects. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hey! Anyone out there? Let us out!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Let us out! We’ll die in here!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“We’re still inside!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You idiot, they’re not going to let us out! They want us dead!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“EVERYONE QUIET!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Roa boomed, using his hands as a megaphone on the sides of his mouth. It projected him loud enough to smother the other voices into low mumbles. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Listen up!” Dolcetto ordered, leaning his ear to the bars of his cell in show, “If you’ve got the ears, listen! I can hear people outside the block!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Immediately, the cell block was filled with the heavy concentrated silence of perked ears. Boots and shoes were hitting the floor at running speed outside in the halls. Voices, sounding equally startled, produced the key words: ‘Evacuate.’ ‘Explosion.’ </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“There was an explosion...in another area of the lab. Everyone’s evacuating.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Does...that mean we’ll be left behind?” Bido asked, looking from face to face behind bars.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“They might come back…”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“And if they don’t?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The question hung in the air. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“We’re all mixed with some kind of animal, now.” Said the man sharing a cell with Bido. He was bald, a thick scar carved from his left eye up the curve of his skull. His eyes were the most obvious sign of his experimentation, small and glassy black. “What do you think eventually happens when animals that are caged together run out of food?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Another quiet krept through the hall, visiting each cell. The answer was obvious. What else drove even the most basic of creature’s brains? It was the gnawing instinct that was hunger. It is a hardwired priority of the living organism to avoid death. Even if death is inevitable, avoiding immediate death is the brain’s default option. Food was one of the foundations of survival. It was nothing personal. Despite its lifelong loyalty, a starving pet would eat the body of its master.<br/></span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>In the cell containing the very large man that was merged with a crocodile, everyone present subconsciously stepped back from him.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Everybody...calm down.” Dolcetto spoke slow and clear, “No one is going to eat anyone, understand?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“So, what,” A blonde haired man from a cell down the hall said, “Do you have a plan?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Do you have a plan, Dolcetto?” Roa asked, folding his arms as he looked down to the much shorter man. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“.....no.” Dolcetto scratched at the back of his neck with a growl.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Then let’s start planning.” Martel stood from where she had remained sitting in the cell. Approaching the bars, she looked out among her fellow test subjects. “We all can do something. Assets, we need to list our assets. Were you a soldier, what can you do?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>There wasn’t an answer. Each chimera looked on through their cells in silence. After all, hope was a dangerous thing in a place like this.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Anyone got a better idea?” Dolcetto challenged, “Come on, we can’t make bricks without clay- listen, no one is going to come through that door and rescue us!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Another small explosion burst forth from said door. Said door was there no longer, as pieces of it slid and bounced down the long hall. A cloud of debris and dust billowed from the once doorframe, slowly thinning out to nothing.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“This is where they keep the animals for experimentation, huh?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>A deep baritone voice said, loud enough for all inside the cell block to hear. It wasn’t a voice any of the test subjects recognized. This was someone new.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>As the steady clak of boots began down the hall, some of the chimera pressed against the bars of their cell, heads twisted, to try and gain a glimpse of this new stranger. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He stopped just in front of the first cell containing the more human experiments. Despite the uneven darkness of the block, their eyes worked quite well. It was a man, lean in his shape with long legs. Smooth muscle cut across his arms and chest, something built to be dangerously efficient. On the collar of his dark vest was a lining of thick white fur. It bristled like an angry wolf. His black hair was spiked up and back. A pair of round sunglasses hid his eyes.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Here you are.” The man said as he looked around at the faces peering out at him from behind bars.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And his scent! Who smelled like this? It was something just out of mind’s reach, something they had smelled before. And yet it was something they did not know and could not place into a familiar designated slot. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Who are you?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“A friend.” He replied back simply. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Casting a spotlight, a single hanging light in the hall had yet to die out. He stepped into its center, for all to see. Then, like some makeshift ring master starting a show, he turned and spread his arms wide.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I have an offer for you!” He announced, “Come with me, or do as you like. You choose.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Stunned silence filled the cells. Chimeras standing as unmoving statues, not believing this man in his entirety. His whole existence, this moment, seemed like some false advertisement, a trick. Yet when he spoke, they hung on his words.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“...you’re serious?” Dolcetto said, looking skeptical. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Of course.” He had dropped his arms, one hand resting on his hip. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“How do we know this isn’t a lie?” Martel’s arms were folded, guarded. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m not the type for lies.” The man shrugged with admittance. He looked up at the light above him. Looking for something he quickly found, he walked with his gaze upward to the otherside of the cell block until he was out of the view of those inside.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Decide now!” His voice rose before there was a crunching squeal of metal. Sharp snaps of electricity could be heard as the remaining lamp hanging from the hall ceiling quickly sputtered out. Flashes of dying sparks popped brightly before the cell block was blanketed in darkness. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>One by one, a soft beep hummed from the cell locks as they lost power. One by one, the cell doors slid open. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They wandered out of their cages, slowly and dazed. In the dark, the sound of their bare feet gently patting on the floor was heard. They looked to each other, as if seeing their cell bound neighbors properly for the first time. Then, they looked to the strange man approaching them, the clak of his boots announced his arrival.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Well? What about it? Decide now, do you want to come with me? Start over? Do you have nothing left to return to? Come with me.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>A long pause lingered in the air.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Dolcetto stepped forward from the group into the man's view. The stranger looked at him expectantly, brows raised. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I would say you saved my life.” Dolcetto said, “I don’t know why...but you did. That means I owe you, right? A debt or something?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The man said nothing, inclining his head. Dolcetto could feel this man regarding him behind those black lenses. He had a feeling he was waiting for his decision only.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m with you.” Dolcetto said before he stepped forward to the man's side. In response, the strange man clapped a hand on Dolcetto’s shoulder with a pleased huff through his smiling teeth. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He looked back to the rest of the chimeras.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Anyone else?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Martel watched, her brow creasing, as Roa began to move. She almost said his name, just like she almost reached out to grab his wrist. Roa gently shouldered his way to the front, stopping just short of the man.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’ll go.” Roa grunted. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Glad to have you!” The man grinned up at Roa with sharp teeth. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Slowly and steadily, every chimera that had been imprisoned in this cell block had gone over to the side of the strange man who freed them. Nothing was forced. Or threatened. He had given them a choice to act or not. It was the most freedom they had received in laboratory five. A choice. They all had joined him.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Except for Martel.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What about you, sweetheart?” The man asked. He grinned that jackal smile at her. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Martel stared at him. Her deep green eyes bore into the dark lenses over his own. Who was this man? Could she trust him? It must have been the snake, it’s own survival intuition. There was no fear in him or his actions. He moved with the smooth grace of a predator that knew it was the unchallenged king of the jungle. Oh yes. The snake said he definitely could kill her without trying. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>But she would make him try. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Her gaze drifted over to her companions. Roa and Dolcetto wouldn’t hold her choices against her. It wasn’t like them. The snake also said something very true in the rules of survival- numbers counted. Alright. She’d go with him. But it wasn’t because something about this man allured her. It was for survival, and survival only.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Alright.” Martel sighed and crossed the threshold to join her friends. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Good!” The stranger clapped his hands together, a move which made some of his newly acquired chimeras flinch at the sound. He apologized quickly after. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They followed him as he led the group back to the exit of the cell block. It was the exit where the door used to be, before he rendered it to pieces. Part of the wall came with it. What kind of person had that kind of strength? Dolcetto thoughtfully wondered as he passed a piece of rubble. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You guys came highly recommended, after all.” The man said cheerily as he stepped out of the cell block into a hall. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“...Recommended, sir?” Dolcetto questioned, looking at the stranger's face. He was looking at something else, a fond smile on his lips. Dolcetto followed his gaze to a form of long brown and cream hair slumped in the hall. It perked it’s ears and caught him in it’s vacant, glassy eyes. It’s tail of human hair began to slap on the floor.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Nina!” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>This chapter is pretty simple. I can’t say I like the way I wrote it, but it’s done now. I like writing interactions of the chimera gang. Next chapter will be good, we get to see Greed and his new chimeras and how they get along together. <br/>Oh, mr. crocodile hunter man once said snakes are v sensitive to vibrations in the ground. Thus Martel feeling the explosion waves travel.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. One Who Wants The World</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Greed and the crew finally make it out of Laboratory 5 and head to better things hopefully.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>“Oh? So you do know each other.” The stranger sounded amused as he moved closer to where Nina was surrounded by many of the chimeras from the animal experimentation cell block. In this place, good things were rare. Seeing the young girl safe when the worst could have been true, it was a much needed good thing. Her hair was ruffled affectionately by many hands, her fur patted. Nina seemed just as happy to see the rest of them as she licked those hands. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“She was thrown in with us.” Dolcetto explained, “You know, before they moved her.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah.” The man said and pointed in their general direction, “She mentioned you three. Dolcetto. Roa. And Martel, right?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Martel watched his finger travel in the correct order, between her other two companions, before landing on her. She narrowed her eyes at him. It didn’t feel fair to her, that this man was extracting information from a child who didn’t know better. It wasn’t his business who she was- it wasn’t his business who her friends were. If he wanted to know something, he would ask her to her face.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>On the other hand, to Dolcetto and Roa, Nina bothering to remember them, let alone mention them to another person, was something to be pleasantly surprised by. That they had made such an impression on the young girl. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Now then,” The man addressed his chimeras, “Before we get out of here, there’s a few things we need to take care of first. And we need to do it quickly.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The entire group had given him their attention. If it meant leaving this horrible place, they would follow whatever directions meant doing so. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I only need...three of you for this.” He held up three fingers to them, “The rest will stay here until we get back. It shouldn’t take long.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Allow me to go with you.” Dolcetto said soon after their new leader asked for volunteers. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Martel watched her friend rise from Nina’s side to stand by this strange man. Then Bido went to him, too. Then the blonde man who called himself Harvey. What was Dolcetto doing? Why was he suddenly so eager to obey this man? It couldn’t be the dog, right? Martel hoped it wasn’t the dog… </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She looked at Nina, who already seemed to like this man very much. Was it a dog thing? Were dogs good judges of character? In Nina’s case it was more likely that she was also a young girl in a scary, unfamiliar place who had endured much distress. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Let’s get going.” The man told his three followers with a wave over his shoulder, before he led them away down the dark hall. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Martel waited until he was far from sight and sound before she motioned for Roa to come closer. She sat by Nina’s side, then gently tugged Roa’s medical gown to do the same. Martel wanted to make sure the girl was unharmed, and to perhaps learn something about their new leader. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Nina, do you know that man? Who is he?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Nina cocked her head slightly, strands of her long human hair fell over one of her eyes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Y-y e s. . . Th- th a t . . . I s . . . . . . . . M r . . . G r e e d . . . !”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Mr. Greed…?” Martel repeated. With gentle fingers, she brushed the strand from Nina’s face and tucked it behind her canine ear.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“A strange name…” Roa muttered in agreement. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Nina, has he hurt you, dear?” Martel’s tone was soft, “You can tell us, sweetheart. It’s ok.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Again, Nina paused. Her mind was processing the question behind her round, cloudy stare. Then, Nina parted her jaws, her lips pulled back to show her canine teeth. A smile is normally cute on a little girl's face. A dog trying that same smile, could not be called equally cute.</span>
</p><p>
  <span> Still, Nina managed a smile as she said:</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“ M r . . . G r e e d . . . .i s . . .g o o d !”</span>
</p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>
  <span>****************</span>
</p><p><br/>
<br/>
<br/>
</p><p>
  <span>Dolcetto followed his new masters lead. Along with Bido and Harvey, they had traveled down a long hall or two. From what his nose could tell him, the laboratory had been successfully evacuated in this area. He could understand his masters haste, however. No doubt a clean up crew would soon be sent in to sort things out, and dispose of any lingering mysteries.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t think we properly know each other. If you’re working for me, I should know your name. Common decency.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dolcetto blinked at the man's words. He walked ahead of him, but he had now slowed down to be more included in the group he led.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The name’s Greed.” He motioned a hand to himself. On the back of that hand, a strange red tattoo curled. “What can I call you guys?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Greed? What a name...</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Dolcetto.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Greed then looked to Bido and Harvey expectantly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Bido, sir.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“...Harvey.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Good to know!” He gave them that crooked, yet somehow charming, smile. “If I can ask, what were you guys merged with? Do you mind that?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Not at all, don’t sweat it.” Dolcetto waved away the concern. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Huh…?” Greed raised a brow at him, puzzled.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dolcetto frowned. “What? Don’t sweat it? You know, don’t worry about it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Laughter, loud laughter from the chest burst from the man called Greed. The three chimera he traveled with couldn’t help but be startled by the sound. It was unexpected for the topic to prompt such a sudden reaction.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I get it!” He spoke, “Sorry, sorry. I haven’t been around for awhile. Hah! ‘Don’t sweat it’, I like that!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dolcetto looked behind him to his other two comrades. It was a look that asked for help with the situation. In return, they shrugged to show they could offer none. Was this guy serious? It hadn’t dawned on Dolcetto that maybe this guy came from the lab as well. He recalled the door to the cell block, shattered into pieces. There was no way one normal person could break a solid barrier like that as if it were a mere inconvenience. Maybe, if he was from the lab, he was locked up here for a reason.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Anyway, so what are you guys?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Each chimera explained what unfortunate animal they had been merged with through alchemy. Dolcetto was merged with a dog. Bido, a lizard. Harvey admitted he had trouble recalling what they spliced him with, only that it had scales and claws. Greed would nod, and sometimes comment or ask a question. If Greed was human, he was very comfortable around the chimera type. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Stop, it’s here.” Greed slowed his walk to a halt in front of an open doorway. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>To Dolcetto, it wasn’t much of an open doorway. If a doorway implied a door was present at sometime, this one had exploded from the wall. The metal hinges barley hung on by their screws. Oh. Wait. There was the door, over on the opposite wall. And the dark liquid that had puddled around it’s base? One sniff from his sharp nose confirmed it was blood. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>A cast shadow cloaked Greed’s shoulders as he stepped inside. It was a simple containment space set up for a single test subject, only one of its walls was demolished. A gaping hole had collapsed in the wall to allow entrance into a spacious stone room. Covering every surface, large alchemy arrays were carved. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s in there.” Greed motioned to the stone cavern etched in alchemy symbols. He folded his arms and tapped the toe of his boot as if he were confronted by a troublesome roadblock. “I would get it myself, but I can’t go near the damn thing.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What do you mean by that?” Harvey asked when he followed Greed in. When he saw the alchemy room through the large hole in the wall, his brows shot up. “Holy moly…” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s as I said.” Greed replied, his lip curled over one of his shark-like teeth as he looked through the hole. It was obvious he had a foul memory of this place. “It has power over me. I’d like to just destroy it, honestly. But I can’t do that either.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What are we looking for?” Bido asked as he stepped up on the small pile of rubble in front of the wall that was a result of its current state. He peered into the room before hopping down inside. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“A skull.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“A skull?” Dolcetto echoed, looking back at Greed. He had been keeping silent tallies since meeting this strange man. Looking at the board now, underneath ‘not human’, the marks were adding up. And what was that he said, it had power over him? What kind of cryptic bullshit was that? Whatever, that didn’t matter.  When it came down to brass tracks, Dolcetto didn’t care if this guy wasn’t natural. He wasn’t natural himself. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dolcetto stepped over what remained of the wall into the stone room. Bido had already gone to work searching.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I know a little about alchemy myself,” Harvey said, his eyes tracing along the symbols. “And this...is way outside anything I’ve seen.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“This must be it.” Bido said. Turning to face Dolcetto, sure enough, there in his clawed hands, was a human skull. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dolcetto held a hand out, a silent request. When Bido put the skull in his hand, he couldn’t help but turn it around for a full 360 degree inspection. It was remarkably preserved- all of the teeth were present, and it was clean of anything organic that would grow on it. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dolcetto couldn’t resist the urge, he sniffed the top of its crown. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Underneath the dry, musty smell of death that had settled over the skull like a fine dust, he found a scent. That same scent, although much more potent, was standing behind him in the other room. It smelled like him. It smelled like Greed. </span>
</p><p>“What’s wrong? Are you ok?”</p><p>
  <span> Dolcetto’s face had twisted to reflect his surprise, causing Bido concern. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah…” Dolcetto said, as he held the skull more carefully in two hands.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It looked like you smelled something weird.” Bido commented before he waved a hand to the two men on the other side of the demolished wall. “I think we got it!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Great job, bring it over.” Greed motioned for them to return.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>When Dolcetto had stepped back over through the hole, he held out the skull to Greed for his confirmation. “Is this it?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>No sooner than he did present the skull, a pained grimace locked into Greed’s features. His hand came to clutch his chest, similar to a man being ill or suffering a heart attack. Had Harvey not been close to catch him, Greed might have hit the floor when his knees gave out. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That’s it…” Greed croaked as he managed a nod. He hadn’t lost his sunglasses, but they had slid down his nose enough to reveal his eyes. His purple, cat-like eyes. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hearing Greeds voice choke in pain made something twist uncomfortably in Dolcetto’s gut. It wasn’t right, after hearing the normal smooth base of his lazily conjured charm. It made the hair on the back of his neck start to rise.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hey-what happened? Are you ok?” Concerned mutters came from Harvey and Bido, equally confused about the sudden ill state of their boss. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s this- we gotta get it away from him. It’s doing something to him.” Dolcetto said, quickly withdrawing the skull under his arm and as far from Greed as he could without immediately throwing it like a softball out the door frame. “Give me a minute, I’m going to find something I can put this thing in.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Harvey and Bido watched Dolcetto leave the room in a hurry. A groan rose from under Harvey’s arm where he was supporting most of Greed’s weight. Greed straightened his back with a grunt, giving Harvey a pat on his shoulder as a signal to let him stand on his own. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hey...are you alright now, sir?” Harvey asked, stepping back from Greed to give him space. Bido’s eyes were hurriedly searching over Greed, as if looking for an injury that might have caused such a reaction. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Greed adjusted his vest, pushed his sunglasses up back in place on his nose. He looked over at the two chimeras and flashed a confident thumbs up. “Of course!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What was that just now, then?” Bido’s brow creased with worry. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I told you.” Greed said casually, “That thing isn’t good for me to be around.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Is this also when you tell us you’re not human?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Greed faced where Dolcetto had returned. He was standing out in the hall. In his grip, a sac hung by its own weight. The rounded shape told of the skull that was inside. As Greed approached Dolcetto, the only sound he produced was that of his boots meeting the floor. An easy, liquid stride. He stopped a calculated two feet away from Dolcetto and the skull, his hands on his hips as if ready for confrontation.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m not human.” Greed nudged down his sunglasses to look over the lenses. Those alien purple eyes found Dolcetto and held him. “...Does that matter?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dolcetto wasn’t sure why, but that felt like a challenge. It wasn’t an invitation to challenge rank or strength. Or even obedience. It was more that Greed was asking the question; </span>
</p><p>
  <span>‘Are you ready?</span>
</p><p>
  <span> Are you ready to never be bored?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>To not know what happens next? </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Are you ready to conquer the world with me?’</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Yes, Dolcetto breathed out the answer. He never knew he was holding his breath the entire time he was under the gaze of Greed’s eyes. Yes. He feels if he turns this down, if he doesn’t follow this man, he’ll never know what he was good for in this world. Yes. It was honest, a question presented on the bare bones for what it was. Greed did say he didn’t lie. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, Boss.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Greed must have liked that. That sharp toothed terrible wolfish grin was wide on his face. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Without missing a beat or missing the moment, Greed turned on the two chimera behind him and presented them the same question. They gave him a similar, bewildered, breathless reply, filled with the same powerful urge to follow him to the ends of the earth, no. ( Yes.)</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Greed looked satisfied, or as satisfied as one who’s called ‘greed’ could be. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’ll be ok with this so close, boss?” Dolcetto raised the bag containing the offending skull. “It’s pretty important. Seems like something we need to look after. ...can’t have our boss on the bench, right?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Greed’s expression shifted. It was a small change and easy to miss. This smile wasn’t as sharp as the rest, despite the teeth that made it. It was fond. With a scoff and a sunglasses adjustment, it was gone. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m built pretty tough. Keep some distance between it and myself, I’ll be fine.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Where to next, Mr. Greed?” Bido piped up, hurrying to Greed’s side. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m glad you asked!” Greed barked a laugh, putting a hand on Bido’s shoulder, “We’re all going to make one last stop before leaving. To borrow some supplies and…” He plucked at the shoulder corner of Harvey’s medical gown between his thumb and forefinger. “See if we can find you guys something better to wear.”</span>
</p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>
  <span>************</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>After reuniting the entire chimera crew, Greed makes good on his proposition of ‘borrowing supplies and finding something better to wear.’ Where the military was present, armed military personnel to handle possibly dangerous test subjects- after all someone had to protect the fragile doctors- there had to be a place to hold needed equipment. When they located that place, the chimeras got a front seat view to see just how Greed took care of the door to their cell block. They all came to a unanimous conclusion in that moment- he couldn’t be human. With the entrance no longer an obstacle, Greed encouraged the chimeras to take whatever they could carry with them, or on their backs. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Outside the laboratory, a loading garage was used to supply the facility, be it with test subjects or materials. A few trucks had remained parked, having not been fully unloaded. It made for a perfect getaway vehicle. Once the remaining cargo was thrown out, the entire chimera crew could fit snugly in the back. Roa swept the entrance of the canopy tarp over the truck’s back to the side. No doubt it was used to conceal animals being transferred to the lab. Now, it would be used to hide those escaping the facility. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>After releasing the handbrake, Roa, accompanied by other strong armed chimera, pushed the vehicle out of the garage into the lot. The first breeze of fresh, night air washed over the group. It was enough to make every test subject pause. No living being was truly made to be deprived of the outside world. The earth was where it all originated, and where it all would end. The body would crave the feeling of sunlight, and the sound of a breeze as it rifled through the branches and leaves. To deprive it of such, was a form of torture. Breathing the cool night air again sealed a promise among every human and animal they were merged with: they would sooner see death than return to a prison. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Had it not been for the urgent rush on the situation, it would have been a moment of celebration. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“God, I missed fresh air!” Dolcetto took in a deep breath before exhaling loudly, a grin on his face, “So many smells now- it’s like a painting! ...But, you know, not in paint.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Help get the rest of the cargo out.” Roa nodded to the back of the truck to direct his friend, “One issue at a time.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Who knows how to hotwire a car?” Someone called out. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I can!” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Martel watched the group hurry to get the truck ready for departure. Her arms folded over her chest, she plucked absent mindedly at the collar of her new shirt. Like the rest of the clothing they could find, it was uniform based. An undershirt two sizes too big for her, she had tucked the excess into the waistband of her trousers. The uniform pants fit better. Having pockets felt new again, it was nice to have somewhere to store her hands. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She could see Nina, her slouching form sitting up in the back of the truck. The girl was hefted inside first as soon as the room was made. From there, she watched the unloading process. Her eyes blinked slow and heavy under the weight of exhaustion. The poor girl had been through so much today. Once they were on the road, sleep would no doubt find her quickly. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Martel felt someone was missing in the headcount, however. It was the head of black spiked back hair that belonged to their new boss. Martel glanced around the lot, not spotting his lanky frame. Her new eyes gave her assistance in her search, the dark of night not inhibiting her vision. She turned, looking back into the entrance of the enclosed garage. There he was, standing by one of the trucks still parked inside. If her newly acquired boots announced her arrival, Greed didn’t seem to notice. He hovered around the vehicle, moving to its front. There, he reached up to wiggle the side view mirror. He took in the entire hood that housed the engine before, using the toe of his boot, he poked at the grill and tires. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You act like you’ve never seen a car before.” Martel noticed aloud as she watched. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Greed looked over his shoulder at her before he flicked the side of the hood twice with a finger, making a dull, hollow -clang clang! </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ve seen a vehicle before.” He said, taking a step back to observe the truck in its entirety. “Just not one like this.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What? A truck?” Martel raised her brows. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“A truck, huh?” Greed said, putting a hand under his chin. His voice brimmed with curiosity, like a child seeing the newest model toy from behind a shop window. “What can it do? Is it just a bigger vehicle?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Martel blinked hard at him. He’d never seen a truck before, not even once in his life? This model was military grade, but many locals and farmers had made good use of the standard since it rolled off the assembly line. It wasn’t new technology, either. This man, Greed, he wasn’t human. That was clear to her. But many more questions about him needed to be answered. The dots weren’t lining up.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s bigger, yeah. But that also means a bigger engine. More power. It’s not as fast as a car, but sturdier and can carry more, too.”  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That’s what we’ve got out there, right? A truck?” Greed pointed in the direction of their own getaway truck for clarity. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“....yes.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ooh, awesome!” Greed exclaimed. He grabbed the air in a fist with his tattooed right hand, “If it’s better, I want it! I should have good stuff, right?” He looked over to Martel for her agreement.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“...I guess?” She shrugged weakly. Strangely, Greed’s open enthusiasm had affected her. She didn’t want to make it wither with the venom from the comment she had ready on her tongue. Comment or not, she felt as long as it was from her, he couldn’t be insulted. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That’s right, sweetheart.” Greed flashed a grin at her. “That’s why I have a good feeling about you guys.” He motioned for her to follow him as he began to exit the garage. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Martel pocketed her hands. She found herself watching him again as she trailed behind his lead. She wasn’t sure what he meant by what he just said, about having a good feeling about her and her companions. Life had taught Martel to lean on the side of caution, to keep her head down and hide among the cracks to keep out of the eyes of others. Naturally, Martel heard a whisper that told her Greed saw her and the other chimera as only pawns. And yet, he was strangely sincere in his words. Although, he also looked like the type that parents warned their innocent daughters about…</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Greed stopped just outside the garage exit. He was waiting for her, standing with an air of lazy charm. He was giving her that wide grin again, just like when he first asked her to join his side. Martel had never seen the ocean. Maybe someday, she would now that she was free. But she had seen the jagged, crooked grin of a whale jaw hung over the door of a tavern once. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He smiled like that.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Wait. What was that vibration she could feel, getting closer.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was Dolcetto who saw it first, just as the last of the group loaded up under the canopy tarp over the back of the truck. He clapped his hands free of dirt. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“First time the military’s ever compensated me for my service. About time.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He saw the box shape, even before the headlights snapped on. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“GREED-!!” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The headlights of the military vehicle engulfed Greed in blinding brightness. He threw up an arm to shield his eyes reflexively. The engine revved and the tires screamed on the pavement.</span>
</p><p>
  <span> Martel saw it happen through the garage door frame like her own personal shadow show. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Greed’s body bounced off the hood when the car rammed him at full speed. He landed a few feet behind it in a crumpled heap with a sound like raw meat being slapped on pavement. The vehicle braked hard, doors swung open as soldiers leaned out guns drawn. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Step away from the vehicle!” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Get out now!” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The chimeras outside the truck had frozen down to their bones. Dolcetto still had his hand extended, as though he could have pushed Greed out of the path of the car. His mouth hung open, his eyes hadn’t left the shape of his boss’s body on the lot in the dark. Martel’s entire body was still rigid with the sharp inhale she took when Greed was hit. Her eyes flicked down to a shine near her boots. A pair of rounded black lense sunglasses lie there, reflecting the headlights.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I said GET OUT!” Their rifles clicked as they took aim.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dolcetto felt a fire flare in his body, white hot. The hair on the back of his neck stood out like a saw blade. A growl, an actual snarl left the back of his throat. The boss was gone, but he was still here. He glanced to Martel, still in the garage. Maybe, just maybe, he could give them all an opportunity to get away. Martel could run. She might make it. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dolcetto’s feet nearly took off in a full on sprint at the soldiers, but a shadow caught his eye. It was a blur, up above, then it crashed down below. Right onto the hood of the soldier's car. A loud clang rang out as it crunched up under the impact of the figure. Light and fire burst forth, pieces of the vehicle exploded into the air before the entire light show was enveloped in a cloud of dark, thick smoke. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Martel had to shield herself from the blast of heat. Small flames and sparks danced in the night air. Lowering her arms carefully, she could see a human shape emerging from the flames. It was moving towards her in strides, then it was pulling a furred collar vest back over its muscled shoulders. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Come on!” Greed called to her, holding a clawed hand out. Up to his shoulders, a material, black as obsidian, had replaced his flesh. It softly glowed in alchemic power around its uncompleted sleeves. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Martel made sure to dip to grab the sunglasses at her feet before she rushed forward and grabbed Greed’s hand. Everything around her was hot. His hand, covered in whatever had happened to his skin, was cool. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He snagged her and pulled her forward. It swung her out infront of him to run to the truck. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Martel! ….Greed?” Dolcetto’s brows furrowed at the sight of his boss running up behind Martel. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Get in the back!” Martel yelled, throwing open the driver’s side door to slip easily behind the wheel. She spliced the two wires already pulled to spark the engine to life. Greed had just latched onto the passengers' side when Martel hit the gas. Tires squealed and the truck fishtailed briefly as it sped out of the lot and onto the street. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Martel took the chance to glance back in the side view mirror. In the lot of the Laboratory growing smaller behind them, dual headlights were gathering around the fiery remains of the first vehicle and crew. Red and yellow gleams in the mirror. </span>
</p><p><span>Beside her, Greed had opened the passenger door and climbed into the seat. </span>He slammed the door closed behind him. </p><p> </p><p>
  <span>************</span>
</p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>
  <span>“Everyone made it, right?” Greed looped an arm over his seat as he turned around to look into the back of the truck through the empty rear window. His response was a few shaken nods and a couple of muttered confirmations. Among them was also the sac with his skull inside. Everything and everyone was accounted for. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Greed caught the look Dolcetto was giving him. He and Roa sat with Nina who was curled up close in his lap. She was openly panting, scared by the sounds and smell of fear that still hadn’t dissipated from the back. Dolcetto’s face read that he was bewildered by Greed’s remarkable recovery after being hit by a car head on, yet he nodded once to his boss. Grateful. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Don’t sweat it, right?” Greed said. He turned back around in his seat, and when he was comfortable, Greed exhaled all the tension out of his body. Two of his fingers rested on his left temple. An exciting first day out of a century of imprisonment.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Whatever you are, you keep saving us.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Greed looked over to Martel. As she drove, she didn’t take her eyes off the road. The headlights of the truck were off. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“...this truck has lights. You don’t need them?” Greed pointed out.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I can see fine. ...I’m also nocturnal. It will help us stay unnoticed until we’re out of the city.” Martel stated, “Don’t change the subject. Why do you keep helping us, what are we to you?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Her expression is steel-set. She wasn’t going to let him try and read her. Greed leans back in his seat, folding his arms over his chest. The truck hits a patch of uneven road, jostling their bodies.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Maybe I’m looking for a crew. I’m going to need some help after all down the road.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Help with what?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Greed smiled, looking over to Martel. That dogged, vivacious smile complete with sharp, purple eyes. “Taking this world.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>For the first time, Martel took her eyes off the road to look at him. If she could, he feels like she’d stare at him with those deep greens until she could see his non-existent soul. She’s smart, and good at reading others. Right now, she’s trying to see if he’s full of shit. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I mean it. This world is going to be mine - and everything in it. It’s something I might need a hand with, however. So, I’m asking you to join me. You and the rest of those guys back there. What are you to me? My crew. My people.  And I’m taking you all with me to the top. It’ll be a hell of a ride.” Greed spoke feverently, passionately. He doesn’t want to scare her off, he wants her. He wants her with him. He doesn’t know if he’s persuaded her, but he knows loyalty that’s not freely given isn’t loyalty at all. “But I promise you, you won’t regret it. ...Still interested?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>For a moment, the only sound in the truck cabin is the hum of the engine, punctuated by the skip of the road under the tires. She’s staring out at the road again. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Silently, she reached into her shirt and removed a pair of rounded shade sunglasses. Martel held them out to Greed. He took them from her fingers. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You never said where we’re headed.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Greed smiles as he settles his arms behind his head. “Head to Dublith.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Dublith it is.” Martel confirmed, one hand crossing over the other on the wheel as she took a turn. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You know, if you get tired, you can sleep.” Greed offered.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No. I’m not letting the guy who’s never seen a car before drive.” </span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Greed slowly winning over the undying loyalty of the chimeras.<br/>I looked and couldn’t find a name for the blonde guy in the devils nest, or guess what he could be fused with. So I took some liberties. I hope that’s alright.</p><p>I really like playing with the fact that Greed hasn’t been around for nearly a century and a half. The first few appearing starts to a car might have appeared during his time, but nothing like the ford models fma universe is based off of. The truck wasn’t also around until a bit down the road. </p><p>Also there’s afew ways they could’ve gotten a hint to the car with soldiers, but I really wanted to hit Greed with a car. If they can die in cool ways why not have fun with it?</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Homunculi are very Real</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Greed explains a few things about himself to his new possy. Things they should know about their boss.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Homunculus?”</p><p>“That’s right.” Greed pointed in approval.</p><p>Greed sat towards the back of truck bed flat. As much as he enjoyed riding shotgun, Greed was also ok with switching seatings now and then. Nina sat on his lap, her head resting on the top of the closed tailgate. When the city was far out of sight and the group felt confident they had put enough miles behind them, they rolled up the exit flap of the canopy tarp to allow an outside view. Nina enjoyed the new open window very much. When there weren’t too many eyes to spot the strange dog with its head out of the back of the truck, Nina took advantage of the sunshine and fresh air.  </p><p>“As in, a person that’s not real? A person that’s not a person? That homunculus?” The man with the large scar on his bald head and black eyes -Doc they had taken to calling him due to his former position as a medic - asked, sounding skeptical.</p><p>“So he’s not human? It’s not like any of us are here are human anymore.” Someone said.</p><p>“No,no,it’s different.” Doc raised a hand gentle objection. “We here were all conceived. We were born, our bodies changed to grow into adults. If what Mr. Greed is saying is true...a homunculus is made through alchemy. A human being that was created artificially.”</p><p>“They don’t exist, right?” Harvey looked about the faces in the flatbed. “Any alchemy book I’ve picked up has said there’s never been a successful homunculus made through transmutation. Besides, to even attempt such a thing goes into the realm of human transmutation.”</p><p>“We now know human practices aren’t as forbidden as we once thought.” Roa said, his thick arms folded over his barreled chest.</p><p>“A homunculus…?”</p><p>“Martel and I saw him get rammed with a car.” Dolcetto called through the back window of the truck cabin as he drove. “Head on.”</p><p>“He bounced off the hood when it hit him.” Martel confirmed from the passenger seat.</p><p>“No way!” Bido exclaimed, looking wide eyed at Greed. “How did you survive that Mr. Greed?”</p><p>“Survive? Are you even hurt,sir?” Doc asked, sounding equally surprised and concerned. </p><p>“Nope. You won’t be able to find a single injury on me.” Greed raised a hand in humble admittance that sounded too self elevated to be called ‘humble’. Greed loved attention. The spot light followed him naturally, and if it happened to be occupied elsewhere, he made it take notice again with a sharp whistle from between his teeth. “Now that we’re down to it, there are some things you guys need to know.”</p><p>In the back of the truck, every chimera leaned a little more forward from where they sat. Whatever Greed was about to tell them, it was worth listening to. Not only was it coming straight from their boss, but from the lips of a homunculus no less. </p><p>“M r . . . G r e e d . . . t-t e l l . . . a  s t o r y . . .  ?” Nina tucked her head back inside the shade of the canopy. She had been mostly quiet until hearing the mention of a possible story from Greed. Her favorite. </p><p>“Well, I’m not so sure it’s a story…” Greed sounded apologetic to Nina as he stroked the top of her head with a hand. The young chimera girl made herself more comfortable on his lap, very much like a child would settle in to devote their attention to an adult speaking. “No matter. Martel and Dolcetto are right. This body isn’t immortal, no, but I don’t die all that easily. You’ll have to really put your back into it if you’re trying to kill me. It’s handy as hell, and it never fails to surprise! I’d be happy to show you guys upfront if you’d like?” </p><p>No one spoke in the entire vehicle. Afew chimera exchanged looks, wanting to see how well their companions were processing this information. The eagerness in Greed’s offer didn’t pass over their heads, either. Did the boss...just offer to off himself? Like it was some sort of performance? </p><p>“I’ll be sure to show you guys later-it’ll be great. Oh, right, maybe not around Nina.” Greed muttered the note to the other chimera out of the side of his hand before returning to normal volume. Greed seemed to have forgotten the fact his chimera all had their hearing upgraded and whispers were useless. “I was made to last. I’m around two hundred years old.”</p><p>“How can you be two hundred years old and never have seen a car before?” Martel had turned around in her seat to better engage in the conversation going on in the cargo bed.</p><p>“You’ve never seen a car, boss?” Someone asked.</p><p>“Would you want to learn how to drive, sir? We could easily teach you.” Roa added helpfully and gained an affirmation or two from the group.</p><p>“I said I’ve seen a vehicle before.” Greed reminded her pointedly, “But not one like this.”</p><p>“What model?” </p><p>“I can’t remember the model...” Greed put a hand to his chin in thought. He was trying to reach back to the time before his imprisonment. It was a long reach. Memories that old did funny things to homunculi. They often found memories flitting by, like flashes of silver fish, that didn’t belong to them...or did they? Best not to linger on it for too long. “There was only one window in the front...it was more open, some had doors, some didn’t...the roof wasn’t part of the car, does that make sense to you? It sure wasn’t a ‘truck’ like Martel called this one.”</p><p>“...Sorry, but, holy shit you’re old, boss.” Dolcetto said, breaking the short lack of words that the group couldn’t produce as they had just learned, yes indeed, their boss was older than their lifetime. Older than their parents' lifetime. ...Older than their parent’s parents lifetime. </p><p>“Dolcetto!” Roa motioned to Nina, “Mind your language. There’s a young one present.”</p><p>“Shi- I mean- sorry! Sorry…!” Dolcetto caught himself. He adjusted his shoulders against the seat, looking forward. He needed to focus on the road anyways.</p><p>“That’s how it is.” Greed shrugged, not denying the statement. An airy, wheezing yelp coughed from Greed’s lap. It came from Nina, her whole body hiccuping. There was nearly cause for concern, but Nina wasn’t choking at all. She was laughing. Or,laughing as best as she could now.</p><p>“M r . . . G r e e d . . .s’n o t . . . o l d . . . !”</p><p>Rubbing his hand more vigorously to fray Nina’s hair in affection, Greed chuckled in his throat. “Hah! I don’t look old, do I? Still as handsome as the day I was made!” </p><p>Nina happily lapped at Greeds hand in response.</p><p>“Ok, but...how have you never seen a truck before, sir?” Bido asked, his thick tail had curled around his hands and feet. </p><p>“I spent a good part of that two hundred sealed in that facility. About one hundred and thirty years, I’d say.” Greed spoke plainly.</p><p>“Wait!” Harvey’s back straightened as a realization exploded to the front of his mind, “That room- it was that room wasn’t it, boss? With all the alchemy symbols! And the skull!” </p><p>“Skull? What skull?” Martel’s brow furrowed before her boot bumped something just under the dashboard. A brown sac. Martels eyes narrowed. A brown sac with a rounded shape.</p><p>“My skull.” Greed raised a hand.</p><p>“Your skull?!” Doc sputtered incredulously, “E-excuse me for laughing, but, sir...it doesn’t take a medic to tell you that’s not possible.”</p><p>“...it’s not ‘my skull’ exactly.” Greed rubbed the back of his neck, his tone had lost its usual casual airs. Instead, his baritone voice gained a dangerous buzz that could cut as a saw does. “You could say it’s the skull of my first life. A homunculus is an attempt to resurrect a person. That person is the first ingredient. She finds him the remains, and he completes the homunculus.” </p><p>Only the gentle rumble of the running engine and the shaky bumps on the road that rattled the entire truck made any noise. Every chimera had their eyes locked on Greed. As their boss, he owed them the explanation. It was crucial information that could prevent much trouble down the road. So Greed sighed and settled in for a long talk. About a topic he usually found entertainment in spinning many tales from, himself. </p><p>“I am myself. Whoever came before me, it makes no difference. I am Greed, the avaricious - as my Father made me!” With this declaration, the homunculus’ sharp teeth gnashed, his purple eyes shined behind his sunglasses. It sounded as much a statement to himself as the rest of the group.</p><p>Greed explained he did have a family of sorts. Each of their remains came from different people, but it was someone Greed called ‘Father’ who gave them life. He had five siblings. Raising his right hand, Greed ran a finger around the tattoo of an ouroboros curled on the back. “If you meet anyone else with this mark, run. My brothers and sister aren’t as nice as myself. Don’t try to fight them. You will die before they do. I guarantee it.”</p><p>Greed made sure to get the point across that despite his parental title as ‘Father’, Greed held this figure in no respect. It was clear he held higher thoughts about the dirt on his boots. The same went for the woman who was Father’s greatest ally. She assisted him in the creation of the homunculi. She was called Dante. </p><p>“My ambitions and appetites were too great for my Father. I would never be satisfied if I stayed by his side. My father gave me life, now I would choose to live how I wanted. When they realized I couldn’t be kept on a chain, I was sealed away using my remains.”</p><p>As he spoke, every chimera had eased any tension in their bodies from where they sat. If an animal is truly comfortable, they will allow themselves to be defenseless in their posture. If Greed was telling them this, what he was, his weakness, it was a sign of trust. So far the chimeras had no reason not to give this man their loyalty. Their friendship. </p><p>“Your family locked you in a room, unable to move, for one hundred and thirty years?” Martel’s brow had creased, her deep green eyes rested on Greed. Martel and her companions couldn’t keep track of how long they were trapped in Laboratory five. How long they suffered. It felt like forever, but it obviously wasn’t a lifetime. Or almost a lifetime and a half. </p><p>“I wouldn’t call them my family.” Greed settled back himself, all the dangerous resentment in his voice thrown away instantly to return to his smooth confidence. That smug grin. He was absent mindedly scratching Nina behind her ears. The girl was fast asleep. “They’re more like my enemies, now.”</p><p>The chimeras exchanged glances and in a wordless agreement, one by one they held out a hand to an imaginary center point in the cargo bed. Greed raised a brow at the behavior.</p><p>“If they’re your enemies, they are our enemies as well.” Roa spoke, his voice firm. Roa was far from the most talkative, yet when he did speak, it was worth hearing. “If that skull is a weakness to you, we will see it is never used to your disadvantage.”</p><p>Greed blinked. He nearly looked dazed, brows still raised. </p><p>Martel reached out, from her angle it would cause anyone discomfort to twist the shoulder over her seat, yet she was flexible. It should have been impossible for her to put her hand among the rest, but her arm accommodated the length. </p><p>“I can’t reach back there.” Dolcetto grumbled, “Just pretend my hands there too, ok?”</p><p>Greed’s smile was wide and wolffish with his sharp teeth.  He held out his right hand, the crimson ouroboros dragon circled on his flesh. His laugh, that climbing, manic yet contagious laugh, burst forth. </p><p>“Well! The least I can do is take care of you guys in return. If you belong nowhere else, you belong with me now! We will live life how we like!”</p><p>“Sorry to interrupt…” Martel raised her hand as she withdrew it, “I don’t know if homunculi eat, but we won’t be living at all if we don’t find food soon.”</p><p>A murmur of agreement rose from the group in the back. </p><p>“Nonetheless, sir, allow us to be your shield.” Roa lowered his head respectfully.</p><p>“No need for that!” Greed waved away the offer, “But while we’re on the subject, I’ve got one more thing to show you all. Would you guys like to know why I am also called the mightiest shield…?”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Whooo obligatory exposition chapter!  Had to get it out of the way. I hope this helps explain some  of the mixing I did between brotherhood and the 2003 anime. Also I’ve made the decision to include Dante. Alchemist who wants to be immortal so joins up with the being who wants to become a god? Ye. Peas in a pod. ( also opens up possibility for Greed angst because this AU still subscribes to the ‘he loved Dante once’ plot point )</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Rules to Steal By</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>The chimera crew needs food to make it through their trip. Greed takes Martel with him on an errand to get some.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Greed had a few rules about stealing. As usual, these rules were not given as orders, but more as persuasive suggestions. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rule one: Only take what you need.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rule two: Don’t do anything that you wouldn’t expect karma to come back and kick your ass for.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And rule three: Don’t let Nina know. (There was a very good chance if the girl learned her meal was stolen, she wouldn’t eat.)</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was still early morning. Crickets were playing their nightly chirps. The sun had just begun to rise and shared the sky with the passing, pale moon. Under that melty warm pink sky, dew had settled on the grass and on the tall reeds. Hidden away in the woods, small drops beaded on the hood of a military truck. Most of the chimeras tucked in its canopied cargo bed were still asleep.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They chose this particular farmhouse due to its location. It was out in the sprawling country, the eyes of other homes were few and far in between. On the border of the property, the woods grew thick. Once they had parked the truck a couple of yards away in those woods, they became fully camouflaged. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Greed asked Martel to come with him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re part snake, right? They’re quiet hunters. They can sneak around.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Greed’s reasoning was solid to him. Someone agile and light on their feet would be ideal for the situation. Dolcetto had been his next choice, as a sharp nose could be useful as well. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Just because I’m merged with a snake, doesn’t make me a good thief.” Martel had raised her brows at him and folded her arms. “It doesn’t mean I’m deceitful or sly either.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Greed wished he bit his tongue on the statement. Was that rude? It sure felt rude now. Being impolite to women was a transgression in Greeds book. It always had been in his two hundred years on this earth, and always would be. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sorry, I offended you.” Greed raised his palms to appease her, “But, I am also asking because I would like you to come with me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>After a short contemplation and an eye roll, Martel accepted Greed's invitation.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Fine. I’m most likely to be the best thief out of this crew, anyways…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Crouched and hidden among the branches of trees, Greed and Martel watched the farmhouse. The husband and wife emerged early in the morning and attached one of their horses to their cart. Fruits, vegetables and other wares were loaded up in the back. With a snap of the reins, the cart rode off the property and down the road. This was the sign the homunculus and chimera had waited for. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was larger than most homes that were paired with a farm, yet it was simple in design. Cracks and chips in the warped planks of the deck said it was in need of care and a coat of paint.  Besides a hanging bench from under the deck roof, only a few pots growing plants took up space. When they moved up the steps, the wood complained loudly around old nails. Greed swung open the screen door in front of the front door. It’s springs squeaked and rattled. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>No doubt it was locked. Not that it was a problem for him, one good kick would break that lock through the frame and the door would swing freely open. Greed adjusted his footing to put his boot to the door.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Wait.” Martel stopped him. She moved down the deck length to a window. After briefly looking its wooden frame over, Martel angled her palms under the middle rail, and she gave a hard push upward. Making the dry sound of wood rattling against wood, the window slid open. With a flourish, Martel motioned to the new entrance point. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ooh, way to go.” Greed whistled to show he was impressed with her trick. He allowed the screen door to smack closed before joining her side. “How did you know it was open?”</span>
</p><p><span>“Most homes in the country don’t lock up as tightly as those in the city. They don’t </span>expect to be robbed out here.” Martel spoke plainly, before slipping inside in one fluid motion. </p><p>
  <span>Learning this made Greed wonder how Martel first knew it herself. He was well traveled, yes, but Greed rarely settled in places outside of cities or busy towns. Cities were big places where big things happened. Towns less so, but they both had something in common- people. Greed was good with people. Greed was even good with a crowd. Making a mental note to ask her, Greed easily climbed through the window.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>His boots had barely met the hardwood floor when Martel touched his arm from beside him. An urgent, firm touch. And the reason why became immediately apparent as it growled and snarled. Only a step or two away, a dog stood at alert. It’s body was rigid, hackles raised in an aggressive display. Between its teeth, a rope toy hung. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Maybe I should have brought Dolcetto after all… Greed thought. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Don’t worry.” Greed spoke under his breath, “I’ll handle it.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Greed’s plan was to grab the animal by the scruff of the neck- no doubt it would try very hard to bite him, and if it succeeded it was no big deal- and close it behind the door of a room. A closet or bathroom would do fine. It wasn’t like anyone was around to hear it bark it’s alarm. Instead, Martel stopped him again. She kneeled down to the dog's level slowly. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hello there.” Martel’s voice was high and light, “That’s a very nice toy you’ve got. I bet you like to play. ...Would you let me throw it?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Watching Martel, Greed was prepped and ready to go through with his plan B. When Martel saw him still standing above her, she motioned for him to join her at the same level. With a squeak of leather, the homunculus kneeled, and to his surprise, the dog's posture had eased. It wasn’t growling anymore.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Can you drop it? Drop it?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The dog considered. Dipping its head, it let the rope fall from its teeth. In an easy motion, Martel held out her hand and extended her forearm. She reached across the space between them, and stopped just short of the animal. Curiously, the dog craned it’s neck forward to meet her. Sniffed. But didn’t bite. Martel, still moving slowly, hovered her hand over the rope toy. No bites, not even a growl. She took it in her fingers and retracted her arm. She held it up with a little jiggle. The universal sign a person made to their dog before a game of fetch began. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Martel tossed the rope. Following the toys arch, the dog bounded after it. It’s claws clicked off the floor as it brought back the toy to its original spot. Soft, brown eyes looked at Martel and the rope was dropped again, ready for another throw. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Smiling, Martel rose from her position and approached the dog. She leaned down, picked up the rope toy, and gave it another toss. The dog happily went to retrieve it again. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re a dog tamer as well?” Greed mused as he stood, “Do you have any other talents that I should know about?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s not so hard to figure out.” Martel said, she rubbed the dogs back as it laid down, content to chew on its rope. “He’s not a guard dog. Just unsure of strangers.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Greed hummed a reply, stepping over to her side. “Thanks for giving us a pass.” He told the dog as he reached down, but had to quickly withdraw his hand when the dog snapped its jaws with a rippling growl. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What did you do?” Martel reproached him, “Don’t agitate the dog.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I wasn’t meaning to.” Greed said as he pocketed his hands with a shrug, “Animals usually don’t take to me.”</span>
</p><p><span>During their time with Greed, the chimeras soon realized they knew nothing about what he was. There weren’t any ways to learn about a Homunculus, either. Books? None. It becomes very difficult to research something that isn’t supposed to exist in the first place. None of them could ask their boss about himself, it felt rude to pry so directly. So, Greed remained mostly a mystery. A routine soon came into development among the chimeras. They called it “a Homunculus thing.” When something would happen involving Greed that was out of explanation, they would look among each other and silently nod- “a Homunculus thing.” </span>Animals becoming feral in Greeds presence was one of those things.</p><p>
  <span>“It’s because of what you are isn’t it?” Martel asked, her eyes on Greed. She remembered what the snake said the first time she met the Homunculus. It whispered a warning, it said this man was dangerous. It said this man wasn’t natural. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I suppose.” He said simply, honestly, with nothing to hide.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Are you sure?” Martel raised a brow, a hint of a smile on the corner of her lips, “We’re all part animal now, and we seem to like you just fine.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>After a light chuckle, Greed put a hand to his head in feigned distress, “I’m relieved! You had me worried.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Martel didn’t loose her almost-smile. And it sure made Greed want to see a full one from her. She nodded in the direction of the home's kitchen. “There’s as good a place to start as any. Let’s get this over with.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Martel opened the double doors of one of the cabinets along the wall. Canned goods were what she was looking for, something that didn’t spoil quickly. Picking carefully among her choices, she set them down on the counter top just below. She found herself avoiding anything that might have been pricy. No matter what, she knew karma would come back around on them for just taking from hard working common folk like this…</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hey.” Greed called over his shoulder to her, his hand resting on the knob of a pantry door he just opened, “What’s something kids like? Do you know?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>After a short, considered pause, Martel answered: “Peanut butter. Kids...and dogs for that matter...like peanut butter.”</span>
</p><p><span>“Sounds right.” The sounds of cabinets being opened and closed and foodstuffs being set on a solid countertop passed the distance between them. “So, Martel, how </span>did you guess correctly on the window being open out front? Feel like sharing?”</p><p>
  <span>Another, short considered pause from Martel. It was the way he asked, no, said her name. Lofty and leaving air before his question that hung as curling smoke would. “I grew up in the country. A small town. I ran with a group of equally rough around the edges kids. We caused trouble- stole farmers crops, from part shops, from houses… The thing about living in a small town however, was everyone knew everyone. So, you got caught sooner or later.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What a lucky guess for me to have said you’d make a good thief then, huh?” Greed added smugly. He heard Martel close a cabinet behind him with a bit more force than necessary. “Sorry.” He said without sounding too sorry, “Go on.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Strangely enough even to her, she did. “I wasn’t going to stay in the country. I never was. I wanted to see more, do more. But...not everything always goes as planned. And who is waiting to catch those who fall between the cracks in their net?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The military…?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The military.” Martel confirmed, “I enlisted. ...you can guess where that road ended.” Not so much it ended as it was abruptly demolished from beneath her. By a landmine. The melancholy tone to her story had blanketed the room. In an effort to quickly air it out, she asked: “By the way, is this going to become a regular practice with you? Stealing?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Not if I can help it.” Greed said, and Martel was very relieved he didn’t want to comment further on her misfortune. Or pity her. Especially pity her. “Once we get to Dublith, things will be smooth sailing.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“...why Dublith?” Martel turned and looked at the homunculus. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ve got a place in Dublith. Someplace I secured before I was sealed away. ...I hope it's still there…” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You knew your family was planning on getting rid of you?” Martel blinked. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yep.” Greed tossed up a jar and caught it nonchalantly, “I was hoping to get a few steps ahead of them. Obviously, it wasn’t enough steps… But!” He turned to her, “I managed to get what I needed, before they got to me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“...And what was that?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Greed held out the jar to Martel. With that sly, wolfish grin on his lips, he said, “A sanctuary.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Slowly, she took the jar from his hand. Looking down, she read it was labeled: Peanut Butter. Sanctuary. She had heard the term before, from her time in Ishval. The Ishvalans held places of prayer and worship, temples. In these temples, aggressions were not permitted. It was a place of refuge for many of the Ishvalans, a place of safety for those worn by war.  ‘What do you mean by that?’ Martel would have asked, but when she averted her eyes up, Greed was gone. She didn’t even hear the clak of his boots when he left the room.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Greed…?” Martel looked around. Dropping the jar of peanut butter in the sac among the rest of the foodstuffs, she leaned out of the doorway into the hall. A loud sound drew her immediate attention. It was a static overlay of voices, and from what she heard, these voices were discussing the weather. Following the jumble of music and voices lost in a buzzing crush, she found him in the living room. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Greed turned the radio over in his hands. He held it over his head to look at the bottom, truly inspecting the box. The plug popped out of the wall when he tugged too hard, and he held it up questionably before his eyes. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Martel had to hide a laugh behind her hand. Of course, he hadn’t seen anything like it before. “That’s a radio.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“....it’s an instrument?” Greed knocked his knuckles on the radios side, it made a hollow sound. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It can play music, yes.” Martel took the box from Greeds hands and plugged it back in. A flip of the switch, and the morning news phased back in. “But it can relay messages. Shows. Someone else is speaking in another place, and we can hear it through the radio.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, so it’s a type of phone?” Greed leaned in close to the front speaker, a hand cupped beside his mouth, “Hello—“</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No! Listen-“ She smacked his shoulder, “A voice goes in, and a voice comes out. One-way. Anyone with a radio can hear the same channel.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Greed straightened, one hand on his hip and another hand under his chin in silent contemplation. It sure seemed like a phone, one that didn’t even work as well as your regular phone- you couldn’t respond. But he did like the concept of simply flipping a switch to hear music. It was...convenient. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Now, this!” Greed rubbed his hands together with excitement at his newest find, “This is something I know.”</span>
</p><p><span>It took Martel a moment to put together whatever Greed was looking at was behind her. She stepped aside when he moved past her. It was a piano. It had a white finish on its wooden body. Greed poked at a few keys, making them ring their single note. </span>She almost objected when he pulled back the stool and took a seat. Almost. Just like she was almost surprised when he started playing. Almost.</p><p>
  <span>It would have sounded silly to her, if someone told her that those slow moments, the moments where gravity’s hold wasn’t so strong or the concept of time felt physical like molasses, really happened. As if out of some cheesy novel. But Martel knew they were real. And they weren’t always pleasant. One of those moments she recalled the most, was in Ishval. It was in the few seconds just before that landmine blew from underneath her. This was another one of those times. It was one she would remember. And it was far more pleasant than Ishval. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The tune Greed played wasn’t familiar. He used the low keys, the ones with a heavy reverb that she could feel echo in her chest, and made them flow together. A smooth, deep tune that melted in her ears as honey would. Martel had never heard the song before, yet much like a vivid dream you couldn’t recall, she knew it. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>His voice. It was like his voice. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Speak. Say something. Anything to break this spell. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You play? You’re very good.” Martel cleared her throat to help steady her voice,”I mean...it makes sense. You’ve had plenty of time to practice, after all.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Nope. I’ve never practiced.” Greed inclined his head at her words. It was like praising a cat that naturally made a particularly acrobatic jump. They knew they were good, but hearing so from you was also nice. “I always could.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“...Maybe your previous self played. You know, like you said, your first life.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I suppose.” He shrugged, “But it's mine now.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“...did you ever envy that he was human? You’re not?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The music abruptly ended, keys cutting their last notes. Greed threw back his head and laughed high and loud, in hysterics. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Wrong sin, sweetheart.” He spoke once his fit was finished. He adjusted his seating to face Martel.  “And no. I don’t. I’m not like my siblings. ‘We want to become human.’  He scoffed after his mocking imitation. “That isn’t what I want.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Martel had no reason to doubt him. He spoke with the same blatant sincerity as usual. And he didn’t lie. A light smile pulled at her lips. “You’re very comfortable in your own skin, you know that right?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And you’re not?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>After that single question, any trace of a smile from Martel died. She knew what he was asking, yet it hadn’t been an issue she had thought strongly about. Until now. What was this altered body of hers now? There were many things she didn’t know. Granted, she found herself luckier than some of her other chimera comrades. She could move around freely among people without drawing eyes. Still, Martel wondered what was inhuman about her now. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“If it matters at all…” Greed spoke. She didn’t see when he stood, or when he stepped up to her now only inches away. His purple alien eyes looked into her dark greens. That sharp toothed grin, full of strange charm, spread on his face. “I like this body of yours just fine.” Reaching up, he wound the stray, long strand of hair from Martels brow around the pointer finger on his right hand. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>No. Oh no. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Slap him. No, grab him by the furred collar of that gaudy vest. What was he doing? What was he doing to her? Despite her urges for retaliation, Martel doesn’t move. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Greed slowly winds her hair down before dropping his hand. He regards her quietly. No smile yet. And those pretty green eyes of hers still looked sad. But she was with him now, and he’d remedy that sooner or later. “Well, let’s check one last place before we head out. Let’s go.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>As he moved past Martel, he patted her shoulder. Martel could only give a relenting sigh before she followed the homunculus’ lead. She gave the farm dog a farewell pat before the two of them left the home. Once outside again, Greed pulled up the opening to the garage storage near the home. The metal clattered together as it folded. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We just need enough gas to make it to Dublith. Take a look around.” Greed made a circular motion with a hand to indicate the garage area. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>On her path around the small area, Martel stopped at a workbench. It was littered with a mess of tools, screws and fittings. She picked up a wrench, giving it a quick overlook. The wrench didn’t hold her attention long. Placing it back on the bench, Martels fingers lingered over a simple combat knife in a leather sheath. Her eyes had found the knife easily. Once in hand, Martel slid the blade from its cover. It’s steel surface reflected a ribbon of sunlight. With her thumbnail, she tested the blade edge and found it sharp. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Anything good?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Martel looked over her shoulder at Greed's voice. He hovered just behind her, wanting to see what had taken her interest. “Nothing much.” She said, putting the knife back in its sheath before returning it to its place. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re not going to take it?” Greed raised a brow, moving a step back when she left the work bench. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s nothing I need.” Martel answered simply, before she spotted the gas canister under Greed's arm. “You got it? Then let’s not hang around longer than we should.” Leaving the garage shade, the morning sun had climbed to shine bright on Martels shoulders. She tossed the sac of food over her shoulder, taking more care to pick up the chicken eggs they wrapped before leaving. When she didn’t hear the homunculus behind her, she looked back before calling; “Greed?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m behind you.” He replied, closing the garage door after he left. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>By the time the two walked back through the reeds and grass to the edge of the woods, the dew had dried and any chill from the early air had faded. The homunculus and chimera were gladly greeted by their fellows who had remained at the truck. That greeting gained a level of enthusiasm when Martel held up some of their spoils gathered from their venture. It would be the first time the crew had a good breakfast outside of the laboratory walls. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hey, hey, Nina, look at this!” Dolcetto showed the young girl the jar of peanut butter he found while looking through the sac. It took a moment for the chimera girl to recognize the label. A sniff from her nose confirmed what the jar was. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“P-p….p…. p e a… n u t…..b… b u t t e r….!”  Nina’s tail thumped on the grass as she eagerly waited for Dolcetto to open the jar. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Martel smiled, watching her friends and companions go through what her and Greed had brought back like kids with presents. That word the homunculus had said before came back to her. Sanctuary. Maybe he didn’t mean a temple like the Ishvalans used, per say. Maybe what he meant instead was a safe place. A place where they could ‘live as they like’, as he said. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hey.” Greed raised a hand in greeting as he approached her, “Thanks for your help back there.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Martel shrugged, closing her eyes as she leaned back against a tree. “It’s nothing. Just lending a hand to the boss.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I mean it.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So do I. I don’t mind-“ When Martel opened her eyes, something now hovered in front of her face. A thin,flat,short something with a leather sheath. Blinking a few times, the combat knife from the farmhouse garage came into focus. It was held up by Greed, his brows raised smugly. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“For you.” Greed offered it to her handle first. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“...you didn’t.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I did.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Greed!” Martels back left the tree and she pushed Greeds hand out of her face, “What about the rules- your rules!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I took what I needed. Because it was something you needed.” He offered the knife again, “I’m avarice, I can tell when people really want something, after all. …also, if a knife will make those green eyes of yours light up like they did when you first saw it, I’d say it was worth taking-“</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Martel grabbed the knife handle and slipped it from its sheath in one liquid, fluid motion, stopping the blade's sharp end inches from Greed’s throat. Despite the action being sudden and aggressive, the homunculus didn’t even flinch. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re going to put it back.” And he was going to get that ridiculously smug look off his face before she smacked it off. Or cut it off. What was he doing? What was his game? She wants to know if this is all some trick, some way of ‘buying’ her loyalty. ...and what the hell was that last bit about her eyes? </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Now, hold on. There’s no need for that. I mean...if you want to hurt me, go ahead. I won’t fight back. But, I’m not returning that.” Greed spoke as if they were discussing the matter over coffee rather than knifepoint. And he sure as hell wasn’t going to bring the knife back. And Martel could trust him on that, after all, he didn’t lie. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>When Martel said nothing, Greed took the knife from her hand. She didn’t resist. He put it back into its cover, and held it out to her, yet again. “Take it. From me to you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Slowly, her fingers wrapped around the handle and the knife left Greeds grip. When he saw she had fully taken the blade, he smiled. It was softer than his usual sly grin. As he moved by, he patted her shoulder with a passing: “There’s my girl.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>For a moment, Martel could only stare at the combat knife she now held. She didn’t notice Dolcetto move up beside her. He craned forward curiously to see what she held. His eyes traveled to Martel’s face, to the knife, then back to Martel’s face. His brow raised. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“A gift from the boss, huh?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s not…!” Martel originally replied to defend herself, but her voice quickly lost its edge, “ ….it’s not that sort of gift…I don’t think…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What kind of gift is it, then?” Dolcetto asked, brow still raised.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I think...he just gave it to me because I wanted it. ...because he knew I really wanted it.” Martel said thoughtfully as she turned the knife over before her eyes. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Whatever. Anyway, come get something to eat before Roa and the bigger guys get it all.” Dolcetto nudged her shoulder. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>As Martel and Dolcetto rejoined the group sharing their breakfast as free chimeras, they heard Greed make a toast over their meal. It was a simple amount of words, but they carried with them the promise of better days. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Next stop, Dublith!” </span>
</p><p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I liked writing this chapter. I hope to eventually have a chapter where Greed gets quality time with all the Chimeras. This one is Martel’s.<br/>I head canon Greed can play piano. He like to entertain, so he uses this talent to its full extent. If you’d really like to know, the song I imagine him playing here is Lake Tahoe, from 50 Words for Snow. I’ll link the vid. I especially thought of the part beginning at 3:21, without vocals. This deep flowing piano score.</p><p>Anyway, I suppose this is how Martel got her knife? Liberties were taken. </p><p>Here’s the link if you’d like: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=07uxylovC5U</p>
        </blockquote><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Hello, I wanted to write a Greed adopts Nina along with the other chimeras from laboratory 5.<br/>I took the homunculi concepts I liked in the 2003 anime and used them here: The homunculi are based on the human who was attempted to be resurrected. I guess Father used said human remains as a base. The bones of the attempted resurrected human incapacitate the Homunculus they originated from. Father locked Greed away for 130 yrs cause he rebelled. </p><p>The title is a reference to the Divine Comedy. Greed is the 4th circle of hell. It is watched over by a great wolf.</p></blockquote></div></div>
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